RFQ #26-065 Architectural & Engineering Services

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES
FOR
WAKE COUNTY RENOVATION PROJECTS
RFQ #26-065
June 16, 2026

Request for Qualifications # 26-065 June 16, 2026
Renovations to Wake County Buildings - Architectural and Engineering Services
RFQ # 26-065
ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES
I. Summary
The Wake County Facilities Design & Construction Department manages the planning, design and
construction of capital improvement projects (both new construction and renovation) for the County.
There are a number of existing Wake County facilities for which renovations are anticipated over the
next few years to better support the County's functional and operational needs. This RFQ seeks
submissions from qualified architectural and engineering firms to provide design services to
successfully execute these projects.
The project types will vary in type and scale, ranging from work requiring informal bids (construction
cost less than $500,000) to scope that dictates formal range bidding (construction cost exceeding
$500,000). Example locations could include the Waverly F. Akins Wake County Office Building,
Justice Center and Public Safety Center in addition to various Public Safety facilities, Human
Services, Library system and Parks buildings, historic buildings and other County department sites.
All facilities house a variety of functions and include administrative offices, meeting areas,
conference rooms, utility and storage spaces, judicial and detention spaces, public areas and other
related support functions that serve the community.
The projects will be in occupied buildings which house County staff and also provide services to the
general public. Renovation planning and design will require careful consideration and coordination of
potential phasing and work schedules to properly complete. Some projects may include demolition
and removal of materials containing hazardous levels of asbestos and lead paint. Projects may be
located in buildings which must comply with High Rise Building provisions of the North Carolina
Building Code. Most renovations will have some level of work constraint, whether potential phasing,
working hours, security, and access to name a few. Project designs will need to account for these
conditions to minimize disruptions to services which must remain in operation during construction.
II. Request - Services to be Provided
Wake County Government hereby requests qualifications from professional firms/ teams to provide
architectural and engineering services involving modification and renovation to County Buildings. It is
anticipated that an initial base contract will be negotiated with two or more teams of design
professionals who are determined to be proposing the most qualified staff and offering the best value
to the County. Each contract will be with the lead design firm. An Amendment subsequently will be
negotiated for each specific project to be assigned to the design team. Services desired include the
following, depending on specific scope:
* Inventory and documentation of existing space, which may include above ceiling, roof surfaces,
behind floor ceiling and wall access panels, storage rooms, mechanical rooms, electrical and data
closets etc.
* Facilities and building condition assessments to aid renovation design
* Programming, space planning and plan layouts, space needs and analysis (including potential
swing space coordination) and test fits including potential leased space renovations and buildouts
of previously unoccupied space(s)
* Obtaining approvals of government agencies having jurisdiction over the project.
* Renovation design including architectural, interior, plumbing, sprinkler, mechanical, electrical
design and utility infrastructure (including coordination of related building components such as
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Request for Qualifications # 26-065 June 16, 2026
Renovations to Wake County Buildings - Architectural and Engineering Services
life safety, fire suppression, security and access controls) and potential site civil and landscape
* Schematic Design phase services
* Life Cycle cost analyses and evaluation of various alternative energy conservation
options (consistent with County Guidelines for Designing Energy Efficient Buildings).
* Design Development phase services
* Interior Design (furniture layout, furnishings, finishes, signage, access controls etc.)
* Preparation of Construction Documents
* Preparing comprehensive bid documents and bidding phase assistance
* Construction administration and periodic inspections
* Cost estimating including quality, value and life-cycle analysis of systems and materials and value
engineering recommendations
* Project close-out assistance, warranty walk-through and resolution of warranty issues
* Other services customarily furnished by an Architect and its consultants on similar projects.
III. Project Budget
Projects in this request are anticipated to have a construction cost range between $100,000 and
up to $8 million each. The budget for construction of each project will be established at the
completion of the Schematic Design Phase.
IV. Consultant Qualifications
The architectural and engineering consultants' staff proposed to be assigned responsibilities on this
Project must be experienced in all phases of the planning, design and construction of similar public
facilities; have extensive knowledge of the regulations governing the design, bidding, construction
and operation of such facilities in the State of North Carolina; and have a proven capability to
effectively and efficiently manage a complex renovation project to produce a facility consistent with
and meeting the needs and goals outlined by Wake County.
V. Project Timeframes & Durations
Consulting firms should expect project schedules to range from approximately 10 months to 18
months+ required for larger projects with extended timeframes. The selected design consultant(s)
will prepare a computer-generated schedule that will be negotiated and established at the completion
of Schematic Design Phase for each project.
VI. Proposal Submission Requirements
Submittals shall be made on 8 1/2" x 11" paper, side bound with Table of Contents and reference
divider tabs for key sections. The package submitted shall not exceed twenty (20) pages single-
sided, or ten (10) pages double-sided (front/back covers, Table of Contents and divider tab pages
are excluded from these totals.)
A thumb drive with a digital copy of the submission in PDF format shall also be provided and
accompany the hard copies when submitted.
Complete responses to each of the following categories is required:
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Request for Qualifications # 26-065 June 16, 2026
Renovations to Wake County Buildings - Architectural and Engineering Services
A. Organization of Design Team
1. Letter of Interest identifying all firms proposed for the design team, including the
organizational and contractual relationship between the principal and associate firms.
Discuss the responsibilities to be fulfilled by each design team member who will be
assigned to the Project. Describe the percentage of workload commitment for assigned
staff that the County can expect on these projects.
2. Team Organization Chart showing all firms proposed for the design team and
the relationships between the principal and associate firms.
3. Project references including names, addresses and telephone numbers for four (4)
projects listed in your firm's submitted RFQ response that best exhibit your ability to
complete renovation projects.
4. Other relevant information which the design consultants believe demonstrates
their qualifications for the project.
B. Design Approach
1. Describe the process by which you will inventory and document existing space.
2. Describe your process for developing an architectural program and alternative
schematic design options for a typical project. How do you refine schemes to arrive at
the most appropriate solution for a given project?
3. Describe your approach to ensure the functional, aesthetic and quality requirements are
satisfactorily addressed during design for a typical renovation project, including those
projects that may include additional new construction.
4. Explain the management tools, techniques and procedures your team uses to maintain
programming, planning and design phase schedules. How would you work with the
County to identify and mitigate schedule concerns and potential risks to keep a project
on track?
5. Explain your team's procedures for document quality control and coordination of the
various disciplines of work in preparing design and construction documents.
6. Explain the design team's approach to building systems design including the use of
whole building energy analysis and how the team will assure the project is energy
efficient and complies with the County's latest edition of its "Energy Design &
Management Guidelines".
7. Describe your team's approach to addressing maintenance considerations and identifying
and mitigating constructability concerns in the design process.
8. Explain how your team will control project cost to ensure the project budget is not exceeded.
9. Describe in detail the steps which your team would take to protect the Owner against
defects and deficiencies in contractors' work during the construction phase.
10. Explain how your team manages the process of reviewing subcontractor submittals,
clarification requests, issuance of bulletin drawings, review of contractors' cost
proposals, review and justification of change orders, payment requests, final inspections
and assembly of the project close-out documents.
11. Explain why you believe your team is the most qualified firm to provide the needed
services for the County's anticipated future renovation projects.
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Request for Qualifications # 26-065 June 16, 2026
Renovations to Wake County Buildings - Architectural and Engineering Services
C. Consultant Professional Fees
Submit an hourly billing rate schedule for all personnel who will work with the County in
providing professional services on this assignment. Compensation to the design consultant
may be negotiated initially for only those services necessary to complete Programming and
the Schematic Design Phase for each project. In this scope scenario, compensation after
Schematic Design approval will be a negotiated lump sum for each project.
VII. Selection Process
A. Process
The Wake County Board of Commissioners has established a policy to be followed in
selecting design consultants. This policy is for the purpose of insuring that the design
consultants are selected in a fair and uniform manner and have appropriate qualifications
and experience for the type of project.
https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/facilities-design-construction/conducting-
business
A Selection Committee will be assembled, comprised of County staff and the selection
process will be conducted in accordance with the requirements of N.C.G.S. 143-64.31. Upon
receipt of proposals from respondents, the Selection Committee members will review the
proposals in detail and identify ("short list") those firms that appear to be most qualified to
provide services for the project. Separate presentations and interview sessions will then be
scheduled with the "short-listed" firms to allow the Selection Committee to further evaluate
each firm's qualifications and proposal.
After interviews, the Selection Committee will make their selection and provide written
recommendations to the Department Director for approval. Following the Director's approval,
the Facilities Design & Construction office will be negotiating terms, conditions and fees of an
agreement with each selected firm. In the event negotiations of specific contract terms and
conditions prove unsuccessful with a selected firm, the Selection Committee will select
another firm with which to begin contract negotiations.
B. Timeline
The key activities and milestone dates for the selection process are listed below:
Activity Milestone Date
* RFQ Published and Distributed June 16, 2026
* Deadline for Respondent Written Questions June 30, 2026
* FD&C Response to Questions July 6, 2026
* Proposal Submission Due Date and Time July 21, 2026 at noon
* Selection Committee meeting to determine short list week of August 3-6, 2026
* Shortlisted Firm Interviews w/ Selection Committee August 12-13, 2026
* Firm Selection Notifications Sent August 21, 2026
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Request for Qualifications # 26-065 June 16, 2026
Renovations to Wake County Buildings - Architectural and Engineering Services
VIII. Evaluation Criteria for Submissions Received
Criteria similar to the following will be used to evaluate submissions to determine which firms will be
selected for further consideration and short list interviews. The order listed below does not indicate
specific priority, rank or relative importance as the Selection Committee will establish the relative
importance and listing of the final evaluation criteria:
1. Specialized or appropriate expertise in the type of project
2. Organizational chart and expertise / qualifications of staff and team members.
3. Experience and past performance on similar projects, with emphasis on renovations.
4. Proposed design approach and innovative design solutions for projects of this type.
5. Project quality control plan including recent experience with cost control, change orders,
and demonstrated success maintaining design and construction schedules.
6. Current workload and staff availability of firm's personnel.
7. Record of successfully completed projects without major legal or technical problems.
8. Capabilities and proven experience in the design and coordination of building systems,
including energy efficient and sustainable design measures on similar projects.
9. Design consultant's typical hourly rates for performing required work.
10. Compliance with Proposal format requirements.
11. Proximity to and familiarity with Wake County area.
12. Other factors that may be deemed appropriate for the renovation projects.
IX. Submission of Proposal Packages
Five (5) complete printed packages with accompanying thumb drive must be received at the following
address by noon on July 21, 2026:
County of Wake, Facilities Design & Construction
Attention: Mr. Dave Delcambre, AIA, Facilities Project Manager
Waverly F Akins Wake County Office Building, Suite 1103
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601
david.delcambre@wake.gov
X. General Comments
1. Any cost incurred by respondents in preparing or submitting a proposal for the Project shall
be the respondents' sole responsibility. The County is not responsible for and will not pay
any costs associated with the preparation, submittal or presentation / interview of any
Response.
2. All responses, inquiries or correspondence relating to this RFQ will become the property
of Wake County when received (subject to Section X-Confidentiality noted below.) It is the
Respondent's responsibility for submitting and marking confidential information
appropriately in the manner required by North Carolina law for any such materials to be
held as confidential to the extent permitted by state law.
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Request for Qualifications # 26-065 June 16, 2026
Renovations to Wake County Buildings - Architectural and Engineering Services
3. Respondents are requested to refrain from contact with the Pre-selection Committee
members. Any questions regarding the RFQ should be directed in writing to the Wake
County Facilities Design & Construction Office's Project Manager noted. If a question of
general concern is asked by any firm with regards to this RFQ, a copy of the written response
will be sent to all firms.
4. The Selection Committee intends to select a minimum of two (2) and a maximum of
four (4) Architectural and Engineering Consulting Teams to provide modification and
renovation design services for Wake County Facilities Design & Construction projects.
5. Please refer to the following website location for a copy of the Request for Qualifications and
Proposal and any other related information. If a question of general concern is asked by any
firm, an addendum will be issued to include a copy of the written response.
http://www.wakegov.com/bids/notices.htm
6. Below is a list of electronic files that can be accessed on the Wake County web site:
* Guidelines for Design and Construction of Energy-Efficient County
Government Facilities and Schools, Rev. October 2022
https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/facilities-design-
construction/facilities-design-construction-guidelines-standards
7. Wake County has sole discretion and reserves the right to reject any and all responses
received with respect to this Request for Qualifications and Proposal and to cancel the
process at any time prior to entering into a formal agreement. The County reserves the right
to request additional information or clarification of information provided in the response
without changing the terms of the Request for Qualifications and Proposal.
XI. Confidentiality of Documents
In general, documents that are submitted as part of the response to this Request for Qualifications and
Proposal will become public records, and will be subject to public disclosure. North Carolina General
Statutes Section 132-1.2 and 66-152 provide a method for protecting some documents from public
disclosure. If the engineering consultant firm follows the procedures prescribed by those statutes and
designates a document "confidential" or "trade secret", the County will withhold the document from
public disclosure to the extent that it is entitled or required to do so by applicable law.
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